


Come home, I'll be waiting here for you

by knightinpinkunderwear



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Breakfast in Bed, Bruises, Canon-Typical Violence, Cuddling & Snuggling, Ed is a private eye after being fired from gcpd, Fluff, Love Confessions, Lucius is still the M E, M/M, Mostly from lucius' pov, Sweet, Talking, Third person limited of course, Waffles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-19 20:30:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15517974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightinpinkunderwear/pseuds/knightinpinkunderwear
Summary: Edward Nygma has a bad habit of coming home late.





	Come home, I'll be waiting here for you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RainyMonday](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainyMonday/gifts).



> It's not technically late! It's still July 31st!

 

Edward Nygma had a nasty habit of coming home late. And usually he came bloody and bruised. Since the GCPD had let him go he’d been working as a freelance forensic consultant and private detective. And so far the job had been a lot less safe than the previous one. It might have something to do with Ed’s hyperfixation on whatever work he is doing and inability to keep any semblance of spatial awareness. Which, in Gotham, lead to the poor man being mugged, almost twice a week. Today he had a bloody nose. The unusually dry air did not help out either, only further irritating his nasal passage and allowing for more bleeding. He was sitting on their couch now, holding bunched up tissues to his nose in a futile attempt to stop the flow of blood. He'd already had to switch out both tissues for blood-free ones at least once. Lucius was holding a bag of half thawed frozen peas to the black eye that had to be forming. He wished his boyfriend could stay out of trouble, but Edward seemed to be a magnet for all sorts of trouble and unfortunate circumstances. After all they had first met because Edward had tripped and spilled a fruit smoothie on Lucius’ pants while also straining his Achilles tendon. Ed had apologised profusely, sitting on the sidewalk in a growing puddle of reddish purple smoothie. He hadn't been able to get up and Lucius insisted on taking him to the hospital. The nurses at Gotham General had been quite confused by the two men hobbling in, one leaning on the other with matching purplish stained pants. A week after they got coffee. And time had spun into thread every encounter that lead to where they were now. At home, tending to a bloody nose and forming bruise. 

“You should be more careful,” 

“I know,” Ed sighed, his voice sounding nasal with his nose blocked off by tissues that were starting to be more red than white. He looked pitiful, but not enough that Lucius would stop representing the man for disregarding safety in possibly one of the most dangerous cities in the world. How Lucius wished Ed was better at taking care of himself and preventing these things from happening. It didn’t matter how worryingly skilled and comfortable Edward was at patching himself up after one of these incidents. 

“I don’t like seeing you get hurt,” this was not the first time Lucius had said this, and each time Edward gave him the same sad and guilty look. He knew he ought to take better care of himself but he had trouble thinking of himself as something or someone worthy of care, he tried, really tried. But it was second nature for him to disregard his own needs and wants in favor of success or others. A selfless desire to please and impress others, a desire to prove them wrong, or to prove his worth. 

“I know,” almost silence fell once again, only interrupted by the steady inhales and exhales from Edward and the rustling of a new tissue replacing the bloody one. The moment held, it wasn’t quite peace, but it was approaching that. “Lucius?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you,” Edward looked a bit ridiculous. A black eye, tissues stuffed up his still bleeding nose, gaze earnest and serious. “This is not a romantic atmosphere, oh dear, this is definitely not the right time-” he berated himself.

“Are you sure?” 

“98% sure that I love you, and 100% sure there has to be a better time to say it,” Edward answered, a bit self depreciative and self conscious, but meeting his gaze.

“Well, timing isn’t what you’re known for, dear.” Gaze still locked, now in shared mirth and fondness, Ed chuckled in agreement. “What about the other 2%?” Lucius asked, curiously. 

“The other 2% is convinced that this has to be a dream and that I’ll wake up in a cruel loveless world.” Lucius hated how honest his boyfriend sounded, but at least it was only 2%. 

“Well, I’ll do my best to ensure you’re never in a world like that,” Ed smiled, and that watery smile was worth everything. 

“I don’t deserve you,” oh no. And they were making so much progress. It really hurt to hear that Edward still thought so little of himself. That he still didn't always believe that he deserved love. Edward wouldn't look him in the eye, ashamed of something that was hardly his fault. Edward would blame the after effects of emotional abuse on himself, he would blame anything He could on himself. He would believe that his honesty and his own feelings were something to be ashamed of, but he was better. He was growing past that, slowly. Today was just a bad day, and like all things, it would pass. 

“I don’t think you’re the one who gets to decide your worthiness of my love,” this was how Lucius drew him back, with comforting facts, the way that Edward's childhood hallucination had, gave him something concrete, something that was less confusing. If Edward got no say in if he deserved something then he could not dispute the fact that he deserved it. If it was Lucius’ choice then Edward could not make it for him. Edward knew that, this was how he showed the man that he truly cared. Because he chose to. 

“Love?” Lucius could not help but soften at that, the little hopeful whisper. 

“Yes, love.” It was Lucius’ turn to feel undeserving. How had he earned the privilege to have such a wonderful man trust and love him, to have such a man smile at him like he were a galaxy of mesmerizing stars while he leaned in and burrowed into a closer cuddle. The M.E. leaned in as well. Together, on the couch, with a bag of frozen peas and a tissue box set in front of them and only their gently clasped hands between them. Peace. Wholeness. Love. 

“I’ll make this up to you, a romantic dinner, just the two of us,” Edward was muttering, just loud enough to be heard, quiet enough to not disturb the tranquility. 

“Ed, you don’t have anything to make up for,”

“Please let me make you a nice dinner date?” 

“I’ll never say no to your cooking,”

“Good, because I plan to spoil you,”

“Planning to fatten me up?”

“Only if you want me to,” Edward replied. Lucius let out a laugh. He didn't miss how Ed stared, mesmerized by the sight before him as well as the sound. It was in moments like these when Ed's expressions meant so much. They spoke volumes of the care that Edward had for him. And honestly? It was in these moments when his heart would swell, not even needing words to understand what they had and how precious and utterly amazing it was. In the quiet after they simply sat. Snuggling and burrowing closer. The bag of peas lay forgotten on the table, no doubt thawed by now. Edward's nose stopped bleeding and he breathed in a less wheezy way. 

The next morning Lucius was awoken with breakfast in bed served by a soft wavy-haired Ed. Nothing could compare to that sight. Or the smell. Waffles, just plain waffles with fruit and coffee. So simple yet so sincere and sweet. 

“Thank you. You really didn't have to do this, Ed,” He spoke as he started cutting a bite off. It was delicious. Edward beamed, brighter than the warm sun. And with the constant grey and overcast weather Lucius supposed he could classify Ed as his own personal sunshine. The human sun halted it's beaming to breath in and reply;

“Lucius, your name means light, and it’s true, you are the light of my life, and I know that that sounds really silly but it's really true, and I just want to show you how much you mean to me. I'd do anything to make you happy,” the sweet sincerity of it all, that was what got Lucius. The fact that he knew Edward meant it. He really was a wonderful catch, clever, kind, thoughtful, and of course a romantic at heart. The selfish part of the M.E. was glad he'd caught Edward before others realized how wonderful the man was. Other parts didn't understand how people could overlook Ed's benign qualities simply because of his behaviour and appearance not adhering to the ‘traditional’ masculine sense. Whatever that was worth. 

“Thank you, Ed, really. I'm happy with you, so as long as we're on the same page-” he had to stop for a second, Edward's smile was too infectious. “-I would love to do anything with and for you.” a pause. And then out poked that resident smile, reaching up to his eyes, shining so so bright. Distracting from the dark bruise surrounding one and the last remnants of dried blood under his nose. Edward Nygma may have a habit of coming home late but never once had Lucius doubted if he was coming back. And each time he felt so lucky to be with him, to live, laugh, and love with him

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this! I wanted to make it satisfyingly fluffy and sappy.


End file.
